Windshield wiper tensioning attachment



Dec. 1, 1953 R, v GAUMER 2,660,748

WINDSHIELD WIPER TENSIONING ATTACHMENT Filed July l1 1951 Fig.

'i'."vz 20 Fig. 5

Rol/and M Gaumer INVENTOR.

vices have been put forth for use.

Patented Dec. 1, 1953 WINDSHIEL) TENSONING ATTACHIMENT Rolland V. Gaumer, Zanesville, Ohio, assignor to Industrial Devices of America, Inc., Zanesville, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application July 11, 1951, Serial No. 236,213

. 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to certain new 4*and usful improvements in automotive accessories and appliances and has more particular reference to a novelly constructed attachment for awindshield Wiper, an attachment which appreciably contributes to the proper functioning of thewiper by subjecting the blade thereof to a degree of pressure which it does not ordinarily have.

A typical windshield wiper would be the type currently used on every day automobiles and characterized by a yieldable wiper arm, a squeegee or so-called wiper blade detachably carried by the outer end of the arm, the opposite end of the arm, the opposite end of said arm tting removably into a hollow oscillatory member sometimes referred to as a rocker head. Under -ordinary circumstances, currently constructed wipers are adequate. When, however, snow begins to accumulate on the surface of the windshield or where the wiper has to cope with ac cumulating sleet and mud thrown by passing cars, the scraping and wiping pressure` of the blade is insuicient. Since clear vision, whenever possible is essential for reliable and safe driving,

various styles and forms of extra tensioning de- The instant invention likewise has to do with a pressure intensifying attachment which exerts the'forces of added tension when properly annexed to the Wiper carrying arm, which applies the extra force at focal point where it ismost needed and Whic his adapted to promote superior wiping and cleansing results.

'Another object of the invention is to structurally, functionally, and otherwise improve upon prior art wiper arm tensioning devices through the provision of one which lperforms with requisite eiciency by reason of its special construction and the particular mode of attachment,

which is of great practical value, is simple, economical and constitutes a unique over-all attachment in which manufacturers and users will find their general needs and requirements fully met and available.

Briefly stated, the invention has to do with a" connected to a portion of said arm in close proximity to said wiper and having other means-at their opposite remaining ends anchored on said head.

More specifically, it isanother object of the invention to utilize an attachment which is susceptible of construction from a single length of resilient wire of appropriate gauge which Vis bent intermediate its ends to define a pair of resilient limbs or fingers having hook means at corresponding ends for retentive connection with the windshield wiper arm and having novel spring actuated Clamp means at their oppoiste ends to embrace the hollow rocker head and to, in this manner, retain the ngers between the wiper arm and windshield so that they may be flexed and thus bowed in such a way as to impose the desired added tensioning pressure on the wiper blade.

Other objects and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary View showing a portion of an automobile body and windshield, showing a conventional windshield wiper and showing, more importantly, the tensioning attachment and the manner in which it is applied and used;

Figure 2 is a perspective View of the attachment by itself;

Figure 3 is an enlarged section taken on the Aplane of the line 3 3 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Figure 4 is a cross-section on an enlarged scale taken on the line 4 4 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawings with the aid of reference numerals and accompanyinglead lines, the attachment, as an entity is denoted by the numeral 6 in' Figure 2. ln Figure l, numeral 8 designates a portion of an automobile body and I0 denotes a windshield with which it is provided. The squeegee or wiper blade is denoted by the numeral I2 and this is carried by the usual resilient carrying arm Ill fitting operatively and held in the hollow tubular portion I6 of the oscillatory rocker head I8.

As before mentioned, the complete attachment 6 is characterized by resilient bowable limbs with hook means at corresponding ends to releasably engage the carrying arm I4 and resilient clamping means at their opposite ends for application to and retention on the rocker head I8. Specifically this result is attained by utilizing a single length of wire which is, of course, of appropriate gauge and resilient properties. The Wire is bent between its ends to define the essential features. Primarily, the free end portions of the bent wire provide a pair of opposed duplicate limbs or iingers 20 and 22. The free ends of the iingers are bent laterally toward each other to dene hooks 24 and 26 whose respective beak or bill portions are bent laterally outward in opposite directions as at 28 and 3S. The ngers are normally spread apart when they are in the divergent relationship shown in Figure 2 wherein the attachment is shown by itself. This tendency to urge the fin-- gers apart by the inherent resilient properties is advantageous when the iingers are applied and it helps to ex and bow the lingers to add to their expected tensioning functions. At the converging ends the ngers are fashioned into a substantially rectangular two-part clamp which is denoted, as a unit, by the numeral 32. The clamp is actually made up of a pair of companion U-shaped members 34 and 35. These members are joined by spring means embodying suitably curved bends 36-36 joined by a depending U- shaped bight portion 38 constituting a detent. The clamp is at right angles to the lingers and the spring means at right angles to the clamp and parallel with the fingers and the spring means lends itself to proper cooperation with the associated portion of the aforementioned rocker head i8. In applying the device the U-shaped members 34 and 35 are spread apart so that the clamp encircles the tubular member I6 and so that the limbs underlie said member aswell as the carrying arm I5. This applies the spring means 36-36 in the position shown and installs the detent 38 so that it engages the coacting portion of the head and, in conjunction with the clamp, properly and effectively applies or installs the complete attachment. In order to achieve the desired tensioning results, the limbs 20 and 22 are bowed or exed as shown so that they occupy positions between the windshield and theY carrying arm I4. The hook means 26 and 30 on the finger 22 is engaged over the arm I4 and the other hook means 24 and 28 is engaged in an opposite direction over the same arm. This draws the two fingers together and puts them under tension and also bows the fingers so as `to apply the desired extra pressure forces at the place desired, preferably at the juncture of the carrying arm and wiper blade. The device 'thus applied has shown during actual use, that the increased tension was sulcient to remove snow readily as well as sleet and mud, leaving a clean, clear windshield. It has been noted that when in use the attachment actually increases the length of service of the wiper blade. The attachment is of great simplicity and economical, easy to apply and remove and requires no tools and when in use, tends to prevent rattling of the windshield wiper` assembly.

VIt is thought that persons skilled in thel art to 4 which the invention relates will be able to obtain a clear understanding of the invention after considering the description in connection with the drawings. Therefore, a more lengthy description is regarded as unnecessary.

Minor changes in the shape, size, materials and arrangement of parts may be .resorted to in actual practice without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as claimed.

Having described the invention, what claimedv as new is:

V'1. For annexation to a windshield wiper arm and coacting assembly, a tensioning attachment comprising a pair of duplicate normally spaced diverging resilient limbs terminating at corresponding tension exerting ends in oppositely directed attaching and retaining hooks, the opposite converging ends of said limbs having right angularly disposed two-part clamp means, said clamp means being provided with lateral spring means and said spring means having a lateral detent in spaced parallelism relative to 'said clamp means.

2. For use in conjunction with a windshield, a powered rocker h ead mounted for operation adjacent to said windshield, a resilient wiper arm secured at one end to said head and having its opposite end adapted to sweep back andv forth in an arcuate lpath across said windshield, and a wiper carried by said last-named end of said arm and contactable with the stated windshield, a readily applicable and removable extra tensioning attachment forsaid head and arm comprising a pair of tension-exerting fingers adapted to be interposedv between the` windshield, head and arm and having means at corresponding free outer ends adapted to 'be releasably joined with a coacting portion of said arm, the opposite ends of said ngers having substantially rectangular frame means adapted to embrace said head, said frame means being at right angles to the fingers and the ngers being substantially coplanar to each other, and said frame means having an integral lateral detent adapted to cooperate with a portion of said head.

Number Name' Date Re. 19,113 C )ishei Mar. 13', 1934 1,451,6Q8 Kelber Apr. 17, 1923 1,489,366 slay' Apr. s, 1924 v1,888,665 Herlbauer Nov. 22, 1932 FREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 

